Henry F. Funtecha writes about the Ilonggo-Bisaya, one of the major linguistic groups in the Philippine archipelago, summarizing what is known about them from historical and archaeological sources.
Early Ilonggo-Bisaya identity
The News Today, 04 January 2008
The Ilonggo’s prehistory is based primarily on the Maragtas, a document that tells of the arrival in Panay of Malay datus and their families from Borneo in 1250. As the narrative goes, the Bornean Malays came into contact with the Atis or Negritos, the inhabitants of the island at that time. They then negotiated with the latter for the “pagtaba” or purchase of the coastal areas where they intended to settle down. After the agreement, the newcomers established settlements along riverbanks and seacoasts while the Atis retreated into the island’s interiors.
Read about the Ilonggo-Bisaya here.
Related books:
– Glances: Prehistory of the Philippines by J. T. Peralta
– Filipino Prehistory : rediscovering precolonial heritage by F. L. Jocano
